Quidditch
by Dadaismo
Summary: Quidditch is deeper than Hermione realized. After the war, Hogwarts students return to pick up where they left off before the rise of Voldemort. It's time for new beginnings, but the past isn't easy to forget
1. The Hush Before the Game

Well, I decided to try something new. I'm terribly attached to _Drink From My Cup _(which I'm not done writing.), since it was my first fanfic and it's very plot oriented. But I thought I would try something a little lighter and fun. Well guess what. It's not turning out that light. DAMMIT! Am I seriously incapable of righting a light fic? Yes. Yes I am. I'll try to lighten it up but really it just seemed realistic that what they talk about in this chapter would come up. Doesn't it? damn my realism. Damn it to Azkaban! Hope you enjoy:)

The Quidditch reference will become more obvious in later chapters. And future chapters will be longer.

Disclaimer: JKRowling is amazing! and she owns Harry Potter & Co.

* * *

Quidditch

Chapter One: _**The Hush Before The Game**_

"I still think they should've chucked that old rule out the window," Ron said indignantly, leaning back against the cushioned train seat.

"Now, Ron," Hermione said, though her voice lacked its usual severe tone. "It's not fair if both Heads came from the same house."

She was sitting beside him, holding his hand affectionately as the train carried them towards Hogwarts. After the events of the past year, every Hogwarts student was required to repeat a year. Muggle-borns, having been barred from Hogwarts, had not received any wizarding education, while those who had attended Hogwarts during Voldemort's reign had not received an appropriate education due to the Carrows.

Now muggle-borns, pure-bloods, and half-bloods alike could all return to Hogwarts and receive the education that was expected from the centuries old institution. Hermione was more than happy to finish her education and accept the honour of Head Girl.

Ron shrugged.

"It would have been nice to share a suite with you though," he said grinning and gave her hand a squeeze.

Hermione blushed.

"Well, yes it would have been," Hermione agreed.

"And look at who they asked to be Head Boy this year! Again!" he said looking steamed. "I wonder how much old Lucius paid this time around to stay out of Azkaban."

Harry frowned at his friend.

"None," he spoke up.

Everyone in the compartment turned to look at Harry: Luna set down her issue of the Quibbler, Neville stopped looking over her shoulder, and Ginny, who had been dozing against his shoulder, stirred and looked up sleepily.

Harry raised his eyebrows at all the attention he had suddenly drawn.

"Er- I mean, he didn't have to pay anything to stay out of Azkaban, mate. I was a witness at his trial."

"You what?" Ron said sitting up, looking surprised. "When?"

"It was a few days ago, actually. I told the court how he began to lose support for Voldemort toward the end."

"Did you also tell the court how he wanted to hand you in to Voldemort the first chance he got?" Ron asked, his ears turning red. "Or how he tortured Hermione?"

"That was Bellatrix, Ron," Hermione said quietly. "Lucius didn't touch me."

"And he didn't fight against me in the final battle, mate. Narcissa even lied to Voldemort for me."

Ron scoffed and leaned back into his seat.

"They're still a downright bunch of cowards, if you ask me."

"It was a bit cowardly," they heard Luna's dreamy voice chime in. Everyone turned to look at her. Ron still looked steamed. "But it was sort of like what my father did isn't it?" she asked, looking a little embarrassed. "He wanted to protect me so he was willing to sacrifice Harry."

Ron looked like he wanted to insult Luna's father as well but he shrugged, his newfound respect for Luna preventing him from hurting her feelings.

"No one's saying it was an honourable thing to do," Harry added. "But it's not worth sending him to Azkaban. I couldn't do it, Ron."

"I just don't want the little ferret abusing his power as usual. I hope what happened last year knocked his ego down a step or two."

"He wasn't so bad, actually," Ginny said, having pieced together the conversation since she'd woken up. "He never tortured anyone and he didn't like giving detentions. He hung around Snape a lot, and we know now that Snape was Dumbledore's."

"Didn't stop him from becoming a Death Eater," Neville said coldly. "And who could forget what a prat he always was."

After Harry, Neville had always been the target of Malfoy's bullying. He didn't seem so ready to forgive.

"That's right, Neville," Ron agreed, pleased that someone shared his view. "I'm surprised they didn't put Malfoy on trial. Don't you remember he almost poisoned me? And on my birthday!"

"Ron," Hermione said, surprised. "He's too young for trial! And the poison was never meant for you."

"Well, then that lets him off doesn't it? 'Excuse me that poison was actually for the Headmaster so I guess everything is ok, right?'"

Harry shook his head. "You should've seen him on the tower before Dumbledore died. He never would have done it. He was trying to protect his family."

"Are you all done analyzing me or should I come back later?"

Everyone jumped and turned to see the subject of their conversation. Tall, blonde, and gray-eyed, Draco Malfoy was standing at the door of the compartment.

"You really should close these doors before carrying on like that," he sneered.

"What are you doing here, Malfoy?" Ron asked.

"Well, you see, after Potter here killed the Dark Lord, Shacklebolt ordered that all Hogwarts students would repeat a year—"

"Malfoy…" Harry warned.

Malfoy and Harry held gazes for a moment before Malfoy turned to Hermione.

"The Heads have to meet in the front of the train," he said.

"Oh," Hermione said looking at Ron.

Ron still had his eyes narrowed at Malfoy.

"Relax, Ron. I'll be back in a minute." She kissed him on the cheek, which seemed to settle him, and let go of his hand.

Malfoy stood back, letting her pass through the doorway. She acknowledged him with a curt nod before heading down the train. She heard his soft footsteps behind her as she made her way to the front. She was blushing slightly, embarrassed for him having walked into a conversation entirely about him. She decided it would probably be best to apologize. At least they could start _this_ year off right…

She slowed her pace until they were walking side by side. Malfoy looked at her curiously, but didn't say anything. Hermione had never noticed how tall he was… He wasn't as tall as Ron but he certainly was taller than Harry. She guessed he had grown a bit more since the final battle of Hogwarts. He hadn't bothered trimming his hair since then either and it lay messily on his scalp, instead of sleeked back as he had always worn it before. Maybe he was planning on growing it out like his father had. His blonde hair complimented his gray eyes perfectly, which were watching her intensely, waiting for her to say something… Hermione found she was blushing again, but not out of embarrassment.

"Look, Malfoy, I—"

"You don't have to apologize for the Weasel," Malfoy said, sneering.

Hermione narrowed her eyes. She hadn't expected him to resort to the childish names he had used in the past.

"Well, that _Weasel_," she said hotly before she could help herself, "helped save your life last year."

Hermione was surprised to see colour rise up in Malfoy's cheeks. It contrasted with his usually pale complexion. He shrugged and looked away from her. They reached the compartment they were suppose to meet the rest of the school's prefects. They were the first to arrive, being the Heads. They entered and stood awkwardly on opposite ends of the compartment, waiting for the others to arrive. Hermione sighed.

"I _want_ to apologize," Hermione said suddenly, trying to break the icy air. "It wasn't fair—"

Malfoy groaned and turned to her abruptly, cutting Hermione off again. She stood still as he stepped in front of her, towering over her.

"Look, Granger, no one owes me an apology. Alright, prince Potter saved my arse more than once in the past year but we still don't like each other and I'm not going to pretend I like you either," he snarled at her.

Hermione gapped at him.

"I would have thought," she snapped back, "that since we're forced to work together this year we could at least be civil."

She drew herself up to her full height, which did not make much of a difference to him. All the same he seemed to get the idea she was trying to be intimidating. He smirked at her.

"Still the same jumped up mudblood I see," he said condescendingly and turned to walk back to the other side of the small room.

Hermione's eyes flashed. Usually she would have let his stupidity slide but this time she refused to let him get the upper hand. She reached out and grabbed his shoulder, yanking him back.

He stumbled backward and turned back to face her almost knocking her back against the window. He straightened himself and scowled at her as if furious she had dared touch him.

"Yes, Malfoy, I _am_ a mudblood," she spat. He looked at her in disbelief. "Oh, really, Malfoy, don't look so surprised. You know that little insult never got to me."

His gray eyes narrowed into a glare.

"You know, you're not the only one who had a rough year," he growled.

"Really?" she said raising her eyebrows at him. Did he really think he could tell her how rough _his_ year had been? "I saw what kind of year you had at your manor," she said scathingly. "Or did you forget what your dear Aunt Bella did to me just this last spring?"

Hermione knew she had let herself get too emotional. She had never allowed Malfoy to get to her like this before… not since third year at least. She felt tears welling up in her eyes. Malfoy was staring at her, a mix of anger and… was that shame? on his face.

"Maybe _you've_ forgotten that I never wanted to hand you or Potter into the Dark Lord in the first place," he said shaking slightly, colour back in his cheeks.

Hermione was breathing heavily. This conversation was too intense to be shared with him… but he had been the one to witness her torture. The awkward conversation had been bound to come up since they were to spend so much time together this year. She had even thought about what to say to him if it did. But everything she had planned had gone out the window.

"Oh, I saw how you defended us," she said, tears rolling down her cheeks now. "You muttered and walked away. How _heroic_."

Malfoy looked like he was going to be sick.

"Just because I'm not some red-blooded, meat head like Weasley…"

"Don't you _dare_ compare yourself to Ron!" she shouted at him. "You are a coward!"

Hermione realized she had gone too far when she felt herself slammed against the window behind her, Malfoy's face inches from hers in a grimace. She struggled against him but his hands dug into her arms in a vice-like grip.

"Never," he began slowly through ground teeth. Hermione stopped struggling in horror as she watched his face contort in his anger. "Never judge me by your pathetic Gryffindor standards."

Hermione was too shocked to say anything. He stood, gripping her tightly, pinning her against the wall with his body, glaring into her for a few moments before scoffing and letting her go. He gave her a haughty look and wiped his hands on his robes as though he had just disgraced himself by touching her. Hermione was shaking in anger.

"You…" she began.

"Careful, Granger," he sneered. "Prefects coming."

And the compartment door slide open, allowing a group of chatting fourth, fifth, and sixth years from each house to enter. Some had been prefects the year before while others had been on the run or kept at home under their parents' watchful eyes. A few gave Malfoy nervous looks before noticing Hermione and smiling anxiously.

Malfoy didn't miss the gesture. He began the meeting in an irritable mood, telling the prefects their duties in a hurried manner and snapping at anyone who talked out of turn. One girl who had been flirting quietly with a prefect from another house received a particularly loud "Shut the bloody hell up!"

Hermione finished the meeting, trying to smooth things over with the prefects before they decided to hand in their badges rather than work under an angry Slytherin.

"And remember that standing up to your friends is one of the most courageous things you could do. It's all about responsibility," Hermione finished.

She gave them a final smile and watched as they filtered out, the girl from before (a Hufflepuff) hurrying quickly past Malfoy, giving him a fleeting nervous look before running to catch up with her friends.

Malfoy sneered at her retreating back before turning to leave himself.

"Malfoy!"

He sighed and turned back into the compartment, leaning against the door.

"What, Granger?" he asked, looking bored. "Didn't get enough of me yet?"

"What in Merlin's name was that?" she demanded, gesturing in the direction the prefects were heading.

"That was called Head duties. I know I have more experience than you do—"

"I know you do!" she snapped. "But Ginny was just saying how last year—"

"Back to listening to rumours about me?" he said straightening up, looking menacing again.

"I don't care! I will not let you treat students like you have in the past!"

"I don't have to treat them like anything to get them to fear me like they did in the past," he said, his gray eyes flashing. "They seem to be terrified by the mere presence of me."

Hermione didn't say anything. She was gauging his expression. He bore the same look he had after she had mentioned what had happened at the Malfoy Manor.

"Let's just agree to stay out of each other's way as best as possible," he said giving her a contemptuous look.

Hermione opened her mouth to speak but he moved away, back out into the hall and toward his own compartment. Hermione sighed and followed suit, heading back to her own compartment where the others would no doubt want a full report on Malfoy's actions.

And she was thinking that maybe this time she would just change the subject.


	2. The PreGame WarmUp

MinnEsoda  
2008-03-04  
ch 1,

Hush you! Slytherins are people too! And I see you've changed your sn! What happened to Mr.Sam? I thought that was cute.

mariecke  
2008-03-04  
ch 1,

Ty! Characterization compliments are my favourite!

Snowe  
2008-03-03  
ch 1,

Ack I can't believe I forgot that! facepalms oh well I suppose in this instance the heads must be from separate houses to promote inter-house unity.

uckpa  
2008-03-02  
ch 1,

I promise I will never abandon my tom! I lurve him too much!

* * *

Quidditch

Chapter Two: _**The Pre-game Warm-up**_

"This year will begin a bit unorthodoxly," Professor McGonagall's voice sounded across the Great Hall. She stood in front of Professor Dumbledore's old chair, looking older with more white hair in her black bun, more tired, but determined.

The students were seated at their respective houses. Hermione had expected the tables to be longer to be able to accommodate an extra year, but she had been wrong. The house tables were the same length as the previous years', but there had been plenty of vacant chairs for the new first years during the sorting. Hermione realized with a start that the reason there had been empty chairs had been because students had died the previous year fighting Lord Voldemort's Death Eaters. The Slytherin house was smaller as well, many students having not returned after the last school year's events.

"I am pleased to see so many faces have returned," McGonagall continued. "And saddened to see so many faces absent." She looked momentarily distraught. "Let us have a moment of silence to remember those who fought bravely and died in the war against Lord- Lord Voldemort," she said, saying the name with more force than necessary in order to get it out of her throat.

The Hall hummed with mummers before every table fell respectfully silent. A few moments passed and sniffs and sighs could be heard across the Hall. Hermione felt tears sting her eyes as she mourned the Gryffindors who had been lost and would never return. She felt Ron drape a comforting arm around her shoulder.

Finally they heard McGonagall blow her nose and continue.

"This year we have students who are attending their eighth year at Hogwarts. We will be working to organize classes so that they may flow smoothly. The courses this year will be more rigorous so that both the seventh and eighth years may graduate and Hogwarts will be able to return to its normal pattern."

McGonagall continued to announce there would be fourth year prefects temporarily and also to introduce the new professors taking over Transfiguration, Defense Against the Dark Arts, and Muggle-Studies: two witches, Professors Yulipe and Harkness, and a wizard, Professor Rorkeshire.

Hermione felt confident that the curse over the Defense class had been lifted and Professor Harkness would be with them for the long run. She waited in anticipation for the announcement she knew was to come next…

"Because of the extra year of students, the Professors will be in need of assistance. It is with great pride that I announce that a few select eighth year students will be helping to teach the lower years. Hermione Granger will be assisting in Charms, Harry Potter will be assisting in Defense Against the Dark Arts, Draco Malfoy will assist in Potions, Neville Longbottom in Herbology, and Ernie Macmillan in Transfiguration."

McGonagall's voice was drowned out as students' whispers grew and heads turned to look at Hermione and her famous group of friends, particularly Harry. They also strained to look at Malfoy, interested in the boy who was rumoured to have been a Death Eater.

"Finally," McGonagall said raising her voice, "I would like to extend a request that all peoples of Hogwarts extend branches of friendship to each other, including other houses," McGonagall gave the Slytherin house a fleeting glance. "Only that will heal the terrible loss that the occupants of this school have suffered."

No one dared object the new Headmistress while her lips were that thin.

"And now in the words of Albus Dumbledore," she continued more brightly. "'Tuck in.'"

Food filled the plates of every student and they were happy to oblige. Hermione felt her spirits lift as she filled herself with food.

"Did you see the looks they were giving Malfoy?" Ron asked as he served himself a second helping of shepherd's pie. "He doesn't have many fans."

"Everyone knows he was a Death Eater," Neville said spearing his carrot with vigor.

"No," Hermione corrected. "Everyone _thinks _he was a Death Eater and it would be best if we didn't encourage that," she warned.

"But he _was_ a Death Eater 'Mione," Ron said impatiently.

"Still, we wouldn't be helping anyone by causing distrust around the school," she said looking toward the Slytherin table. "Especially towards an assistant Professor."

She noticed Malfoy was sitting beside Blaise Zabini and a group of Slytherins she did not recognize. Where were Pansy and Goyle? He seemed just as frustrated as he had been on the train, glaring at the students around the hall who were trying to sneak glances at him. Hermione sighed. Could Malfoy be frustrated because everyone thought he was a Death Eater?

Malfoy suddenly turned his head toward Hermione and she jumped. He did not give her the same sneer as the rest of the nosey student body, but his expression was certainly no friendlier. Hermione blushed and look away quickly, joining in Harry's discussion of the new Professors.

* * *

Hermione yawned as she made her way towards her suite. She was thrilled she no longer had to share a room with the overly chatty Lavender and Parvati. She was sure that now Hermione's watchful prefect eye was no longer around they would attempt to find ways to sneak boys up the chanted dormitory stairs. Great chance of that.

She stopped in front of the great Hogwarts crest on the fourth floor. What was that password again?

"You really should do something about your hair."

No, that was certainly not the password.

Hermione tensed and turned to see Malfoy walking towards her, seeming to have regained his confidence.

"Why are you looking so pleased? Excited at the prospect of torturing a few first years in Potions?" she scoffed.

Malfoy raised his blonde eyebrows at her.

"I don't think I'd be able to do it with quite the same finesse as Professor Snape."

Hermione opened her mouth to disagree but her heart clenched. She turned away from him and concentrated on the Hogwarts crest. She had never particularly liked Professor Snape but the way he had died… and the truth behind his hatred for Harry… she did not like to think about it.

"What's the matter, Granger? Couldn't disagree?"

Hermione didn't answer but continued to rack her brain for the password she had forgotten.

"Granger?"

She was sure she remembered it. Wasn't it balderdash? Or blubber? Something like "dunderheads."

She heard Malfoy sigh behind her.

"Alright, alright. The password's 'dung beetle,'"

The crest swung forward, allowing them to enter their new dormitories. Malfoy paused, watching her nervously. Hermione quickly wiped a tear from her cheek and scrambled inside the hole in the wall. She heard Malfoy let out a breath of relief. He obviously had not wanted to deal with an emotional female tonight.

He climbed in after her and joined her in taking in their common room. It was spacious and consisted of couches and chairs in yellow, red, green, and blue. Each House's crest decorated the walls and a fire was already lit for them.

The ceiling was high, but did not spiral upward like in the Gryffindor common room since they were not in a tower. There were no stairs leading to their rooms, which were on separate sides of the common room. Hermione saw a plaque with her name decorating the oak door on the left. She squealed and darted toward it. Malfoy jumped at the sudden noise and scowled at her, heading to his own room on the right.

Hermione burst through the door to see a large room decorated in Gryffindor scarlet and gold.

Hermione smiled at the familiar colors and sank onto the large four-poster, exceedingly pleased that she would have some privacy this year.

Her eyes passed the closet, already adorned with her wardrobe, the mirror, and the desk, coming to rest on the open door. Hermione frowned.

"Figures this place would be bleeding bloody scarlet and gold," he sneered looking around her room.

"And I suppose your room is dripping in green and silver?" she said standing up from the bed.

"Naturally." He stepped further into her room.

"Malfoy," Hermione said with an edge to her voice. "Wasn't it you who said we should try to stay out of each other's way?"

Malfoy's smirk hardened.

"What of it?"

"Why are you in my room?"

Malfoy's cheeks coloured, something Hermione found she enjoyed watching. She grinned.

"You looked like you were about to have a damn breakdown a few minutes ago," he said angrily, "I didn't want McGonagall to show up and find you blubbering and blame it on me!"

"A true gentleman," Hermione said rolling her eyes.

"Why _did_ you nearly have a breakdown?" he asked scrutinizing her and stepping further still into her room.

"I did not nearly have a breakdown!" Hermione snapped, the grin falling from her face.

She stepped back away from him and felt the back of her knees hit the bed. She scowled.

"I think you did," he said stepping in front of her, seeming to like having her cornered. "You went completely unresponsive. I don't think I've ever seen you shut up before."

Hermione almost growled in anger at him.

"I don't think I've ever seen you this close to a mudblood before," she mocked scathingly.

It was his turn to scowl. He quickly recovered and placed the smirk back on his face, taking a step closer to her to antagonize her.

Hermione was not afraid of him but she did not like the feeling in her stomach when he was this close… she leaned back and ended up sinking into the bed.

Malfoy laughed.

"What's the matter?" he asked leaning over her. "Afraid the horrible Death Eater will hurt you?" His face looked less humorous and more challenging at these words.

Hermione was overwhelmed with a sense of pity as she stared into his hard face. He was taking his anger at his student body out on her… stupid really considering she was one of the only people who understood what he had gone through in the past two years.

But maybe that was why he was doing it… she was safe.

"Draco…" she said softly, surprising herself with the use of his first name.

He stared at her incredulously and straightened, stepping away from her.

"Where the bloody hell do you get off calling me that?" he demanded.

She stood, feeling embarrassed.

"I don't know," she said hurriedly. "It just seemed appropriate."

He snorted.

"Let's get a few things straight while we're still speaking to each other. One: do not call me 'Draco,'" he sneered. "I am not your friend. Two: I get first dibs on the bathroom. At all times. Three:" he continued before Hermione, who looked mutinous, could protest, "I don't want to see Potter or Weasley hanging around. If you want to see them go visit the Gryffindor common room."

"_Excuse me!_"

"And likewise, I'll do that same with my friends," he added letting out a dramatic sigh.

"Excuse me, I don't have any problems with you having friends in the common room—"

"Oh, excellent then. I'll invite them up. Just keep Potter away—"

"I will _not_ accept a double standard!"

Malfoy groaned.

"Fine. If I say it's ok for them to visit will you quit nagging?"

"I don't need your approval!" she hissed furiously. "And I do not nag!"

"Oh, yes, Granger, you do," he said crossing his arms. "To both statements."

"Get out of my room already!" she shouted throwing her hands up, utterly frustrated with the boy.

"That's the first time a female has asked me to leave her room," he said wiggling his eyebrows at her and walking towards the door.

Hermione growled in frustration and grabbed a pillow from her bed, chucking it at him. It thudded with the back of his head and landed softly on the floor.

"Ouch… that hurt."

Hermione slammed the door shut after he had exited through it and leaned against it, regaining her breath.

She had _tried_ to show him an ounce of sympathy but he certainly was not willing to accept any or make any kind of effort whatsoever.

Hermione flopped onto her bed. He had come to her room first, though. And the reason was very peculiar. Had he been concerned for her? Or had he honestly wanted to keep out of trouble? Maybe he just wanted to aggravate her to relieve his own stress. The latter was the most likely option. She wasn't sure whether to hate the bastard or to feel sorry for him.

Hermione yawned. It was late. She would have to decide tomorrow.

She quickly changed out of her school robes and snuggled into bed. There was so much to do this year… she would be performing her Head Girl duties as well as teacher assisting. Luckily she was advanced in most of her classes and would be able to handle her workload.

She felt her brain begin to cloud as sleep overtook her. She was vaguely aware of a faint hissing noise of a nearby shower as she finally drifted off.


	3. Antagonizing the Opposition

Blue-Stardust

Thanks for reviewing! I need the encouragement. lol

mariecke

Danke!

uckpa

Lol oh don't worry. I write both POVs. Like in Drink From My Cup I adore writing from Tom's POV.

MinnEsoda

I am not! Nerdcakes. He's best at potions so he naturally the assistant.

Credit to Drisela on deviant art for inspiring "antagonize me."

I very much enjoyed writing this chapter. Very much. 

I wish I could just write all day and not bother with schoolwork. Oh wait… I already do that. XD

This chapter was inspired by my honors nerd friends. God bless them and their surprises.

* * *

Quidditch

Chapter Three: _**Antagonizing the Opposition**_

Draco and Hermione seemed to decide that it was best to take Malfoy's original advice and avoid each other. Too bad that was nearly impossible. They both preferred to shower at night and would argue over who would get the bathroom first. Usually Malfoy would just jelly jinx her legs and sneak in. After he'd done this the second time, Hermione had retaliated by keeping him in a body binding charm in the common room for a solid two hours while she enjoyed a bubble bath.

They also woke up at the same time in the morning. There were two sinks in the bathroom so they would generally just ignore each other as they brushed their teeth. Every now and then Malfoy would comment, "You've forgotten to brush your hair," as she left the bathroom and she would respond with a rude hand gesture.

Draco was surprised at how different she was than he had expected. He certainly had not expected she would even _dare_ make rude hand gestures. He had expected she would spend most of her time in a corner doing homework, which she did of course, but she also disappeared from the common room fairly often in the evenings and would come back flushed and smiling to herself right before curfew. Draco internally gagged at the thought of what she was doing. And he couldn't help feeling jealous that she had a more active social life than he did at the moment. Of course the talented, brilliant, heroine Hermione Granger would be the most popular girl in school after helping take down the Dark Lord.

_He_ was the one sitting by himself in the Head's suite studying and preparing for the classes he helped teach (something he found he enjoyed doing, actually).

_He_ was left with a shot reputation and a limited number of friends. After her little outburst last year, Pansy had refused to return and had enrolled at Durmstrang. Goyle had written him over the summer and said that things wouldn't be the same without Crabbe. Draco doubted he enrolled anywhere. He probably just picked up a job as a bouncer at some tacky bar. Still… he had lost his closest friends… they had been lackeys in a sense but they had still been his friends. Hell, he had even risked his own life to save Goyle from the fiendfyre.

It was better this way that he was somewhat on his own anyway. It started a new chapter of his life.

He would visit Blaise and Nott in the Slytherin common room and whoever else happened to be down there with them, but he could only tag along with Blaise and Nott for so long before it started to look like _he_ was a lackey.

Besides, he was busy enough. He had plenty to do and he was not really _that _lonely. This year was a high relief from the past two years he'd endured.

Still… he did not appreciate the looks he received from other students in the halls… looks of apprehension or even fear. He hadn't done anything _that_ bloody terrible! All right, he had almost killed a couple students in an attempt to kill the most powerful wizard in the world under the orders of the most evil wizard in the world…. ok, they had a point.

Draco found himself acting more irritably towards his fellow students during his Head duties. He was not abusing his power like he had in the past; he was just easier to set off. He had even docked a couple points from Slytherin after a first year had yelped at the sight of him coming around the corner.

"Merlin's balls," he said to himself one evening a few weeks after term began. He had just handed out extra potions homework to a particularly dimwitted second year. "I'm turning into Snape."

"I knew it," he heard an exceptionally cheerful Gryffindor say. He looked up from his chair by the fireplace to see Hermione entering through the hole in the wall.

Draco took in her flushed state and swollen lips and scoffed.

"Just come back from a nice shag, have we?" he sneered at her before looking back down to his homework.

"Just because," he could hear the irritation in her voice, "you have never had a relationship based on anything other than sex, doesn't mean I can't."

"Ah, so he's no good is he?" he mused, trying to see how far he could push her buttons. "I guess you're easy to please."

Hermione contemplated throwing something at him, but decided not to spoil her night bickering with him. She did not reply, but walked past him to her room.

Draco heard her mutter something like, "impossible." He looked back down at his assignment. It was getting boring anyway…

He stood and followed Hermione into her room.

She was sitting at her desk as he entered. She looked up at him and groaned.

"What?" she asked shortly.

"No need to get your knickers in a bunch, Granger. I was just wondering if you pass by Rorkeshire's office any time tomorrow. I have a question for him and don't want to walk over there myself." He couldn't very well tell her he came in to just bug her. He had to find an excuse. Though he suspected she knew anyway.

"I do," she said, her eyes narrowed suspiciously. "Why do you need the Muggle-studies professor?"

"Oh, gee, I don't know. Perhaps I am _taking_ Muggle-studies this year," he sneered. Really, wasn't that the obvious answer?

Hermione looked at him, shocked. Malfoy? In Muggle-studies?

"What are you doing in Muggle-studies, Malfoy?" she asked skeptically.

He gave her an aggravated look, wishing he had come up with another excuse for entering her room.

"I thought it might improve my image," he said as-matter-of-factly. "You know, since last year…" he didn't want to finish his sentence.

"Oh," she said softening. "Right." He _did _have a poor image around the school this year. Taking a class to counteract the reputation he had been stuck with was actually pretty clever.

Draco found himself getting angry and knew he was probably blushing. Damn his pale skin. He had not wanted this conversation to end up with her feeling sorry for him. He had just wanted to irritate her or something so he'd have a good story for Blaise.

He walked further into her room to try and find something to change the subject. His eyes scanned the room until they looked back to her desk and rested on gold.

Draco picked up a book resting on the edge of her desk.

"What _is_ this?" he asked looking at the cover in disgust.

Hermione gasped and felt her cheeks grow hot. She stared at him in horror for a few moments before she got herself together. She stood and tried to snatch the book out of his hands.

"That's not mine!" she insisted, grabbing the sleeve of his arm and standing on her toes to reach the book.

"Oh no?" he said keeping the book out of her reach. He pulled out of her grip and dashed to her desk, standing on her chair so that she definitely could not reach it. "This guy on the front is half naked!" he said, his eyes now growing wide in malicious mirth. "And what is up with this woman? She's _crawling_ up his leg!" He snickered. "She's kind of hot though."

"Malfoy! Put that down! It—it's a girl thing!"

Draco looked down and cocked an eyebrow at her. She looked angry but she looked more embarrassed than anything. Her face was red and she looked like she might even cry. This made him wonder what was inside the book.

"So what does Granger read when her nose isn't buried in her schoolbooks," he pondered aloud. He licked his thumb ceremonially and began to flip through the pages. He settled on a page a couple hundred pages in and his gray eyes widened as they caught the most peculiar word. He burst out laughing.

"Malfoy!" Hermione hissed.

Draco could barely choke out the words as he read aloud:

"'Her nipple was like a s- small stone niblet, yet so sensitive that she could feel most distinctly his _tongue_,'" he emphasized, "'encircling it over and over again.' Merlin, Granger, is this what you imagine Weasley doing to you?"

Hermione wished the floor would open up and consume her. She resumed her struggle to regain the book, leaping up to grab it. Draco pushed her away, placing a hand on her forehead. He continued.

"'He pushed his manhood into her trembling body. He filled her full, gently thrusting to and fro…'" he read, tears of laughter in his eyes. "No, Granger, let me finish! '…A manhood comes in three lengths: the smallest being called _the little fish_, the medium-sized being _the naughty monkey_,'" Draco snorted and looked at the book skeptically. "A naughty monkey?" He shook his head and continued. "'And finally the largest being called _the stallion_.' Ah, yes that's more familiar."

Hermione had given up trying to leap up to grab it and had heaved herself onto her desk.

"'"He liked it better when I took that lengthy rod within my mouth. I practically—"' Oi!"

Draco never got to find out what Nila practically did because Hermione, finally able to reach the book, had reached around to grab it from his hand. He struggled with her, both fighting over the book. Draco yanked it his way and lost balance, knocking over the chair and pulling Hermione, who was still gripping the book, with him. He landed on his back, hitting his head painfully, with Hermione landing on top of him, knocking the air out of his body. Crookshanks, who had been sitting on Hermione's bed, sprang up and hissed at them before fleeing from the room.

Draco blinked stars out of his eyes as Hermione looked down at him anxiously.

"Are you alright?" she asked nervously. Secretly she was pleased the git had fallen, but still, she didn't want him to end up in the hospital wing.

He groaned and moved under her. Hermione could feel how toned he was through his robes and felt a blush creep up her neck again. She had been reading too many of those books.

"I'd be better if I didn't have a mudblood on top of me!" he snarled, her face starting to come into focus.

All thoughts of his body fled her mind and she glowered at him, not moving.

"What?" he snapped.

"The book?" she said expectantly.

"Bloody hell," he mumbled. "Here, Granger. Here's your damn book." He pulled it out from under him and chucked it across the room.

She scrambled off of him and went to retrieve it. She grabbed it and threw it into her trunk so he wouldn't be able to get to it anymore.

Draco gingerly rose to his feet, rubbing the back of his scalp.

"You didn't have to get violent," he grumbled, wincing as he felt a bump forming where he'd smacked his head.

"Oh, don't be a baby," she snapped at him. "You were asking for it."

"I don't think I've ever asked anyone to give me a concussion."

"You don't have a concussion!" she said annoyed. Leave it to Malfoy to milk the situation for all it was worth.

"Just warn a guy before you jump him next time," he said, a grin playing around his lips.

"Out!" she shouted.

He smirked and walked to her door. Before he exited it, however, he turned and looked at her, his eyes full of amusement.

"Just one question," he said. "Is Weasley a _little fish_ or a _naughty monkey_?"

Draco saw the fire in Hermione's eyes and dashed back to his own room clutching his side from laughter.

* * *

By the next day Hermione was still embarrassed by the previous days events. 

In the bathroom that morning she hadn't dared look at him while she was brushing her teeth. But she noticed him staring at her in the mirror and narrowed her eyes at him.

"That's a very nice necklace," he commented.

Hermione looked at him confused. What was he playing at? She looked at her necklace in the mirror. It was Ron's astrological sign, which is why he had given it to her as a gift. He was born March 1st so his sign was a…

"Little fish," Malfoy smirked. "Guess that clears up my question. No wonder you aren't shagging."

Hermione growled at him and turned on her faucet, sticking her thumb on the spout so that the water was angled and shooting at him.

Malfoy wasn't wearing a shirt she could ruin, but he wasn't pleased nonetheless. He shielded his face from the water with his hands.

"Bastard!" Hermione called him and turned off the water. With a wave of her wand she dried up her side of the bathroom and exited, leaving a bemused and soaking Malfoy behind her.

Later that day in potions, Malfoy had entered and seen Hermione and Ron holding hands and made a fish face at her.

Ron gave him a withering look.

"What's with the Ferret?" he asked, frowning as Malfoy leaned over to Blaise to whisper something quietly.

Hermione was furious. It wasn't that big of a deal that she read Romance novels. Actually, she had borrowed the one he had picked up from Parvati. But if he was planning on going around and telling everyone the "little fish" joke, he would have hell to pay.

Hermione watched them both laugh and decided that any sympathy she may have felt for Malfoy had been wasted. He may not be a Death Eater any more but he was still a spineless git.

Class went by much the same way with Malfoy giving her knowing looks and her plotting his demise. Slughorn assigned an essay and asked to see Malfoy after class to help him set up potion kits for the first years.

Hermione left his class, fuming.

"What's going on, Hermione?" Ron asked, noticing how perturbed she was and hoping he had nothing to do with it.

"What?" she asked distracted as they reached the Great Hall. "Oh," she said relaxing a bit, realizing she was making him nervous. "Nothing, Ron. I'm fine."

"Is he giving you a hard time?" Ron asked referring to Malfoy and straightening to his full height. "I can't believe it! And after we helped him last year! Is he calling you a mudblood?" Ron looked murderous.

"_No_, Ron," Hermione lied. All right, so he was but it was not with the same intent as he had used it in the past. That wasn't worth Ron getting a criminal record for. "He's just being the usual Malfoy."

"He better not be acting like the usual Malfoy," Harry said, sitting beside Ginny at the Gryffindor table. "The usual Malfoy was a menace to society."

"We just bickered this morning as always do," Hermione said quickly not wanting to start anything between the old rivals again. "Have you all started Quidditch practice yet?"

She couldn't believe she was resorting to talking about _Quidditch_ to change the subject…

"Oh, yeah," Ron said perking up, forgetting they had even been talking about Malfoy. "We had practice yesterday. I made this _epic_ save—"

"Right after I scored on you about three times," Ginny reminded him, grinning. Ron scowled. "Anyway," Ginny continued. "Slytherin has the field tonight so we can't practice our new plays…"

Hermione sat in respectful silence as they carried on in this manner for the rest of supper. She was grateful when they had finished eating and headed out the great oak doors.

"Coming to the Gryffindor tower?" Ron asked Hermione as they walked on.

"I have to write Slughorn's essay. Sorry," she added feeling guilty. She hated telling him they couldn't spend time together. Especially since they were finally a couple. But still, school was school.

Ron shrugged and kissed her forehead before walking after Harry and Ginny who were still discussing who was most likely to win the Quidditch Cup this year.

Hermione headed back to the Heads' suite with relief. She entered the empty common room and spread out her work on a yellow couch while she sat on the floor with her potions book. It was really quite relaxing without Malfoy around.

Hermione was able to finish a third of her essay and a few lesson plans for Charms before she heard the Hogwarts crest creak open and looked to her right to see Malfoy entering, wearing his Quidditch uniform and a distracted smile. Hermione felt a little strange seeing a genuine smile on his face… it were as though she had caught him naked or something. She looked back to her work and scheduled the levitating charm for the first years that Wednesday. She heard him approach her and lean over her shoulder, studying her schedule. She looked up at him again. His smile was gone, replaced with an impassive look as he studied her schedule. He was still wearing his Quidditch goggles, which were pushed up on top of his head, pushing his hair back messily. His cheeks were red from the wind and she could see beads of sweat gathered along his hairline. She wondered vaguely how he could smell that good after sweating for a couple hours.

"_Wingardium Leviosa_?" he said skeptically. "Didn't we do that first when we were first years?"

Hermione was again snapped out of her musing of him, annoyed by his comment but angrier with herself.

"No," she said shortly. "We did it around Halloween so we're right on track. I remember because Ron used it to take down that mountain troll before it killed me."

Malfoy made a noise of disgust and Hermione was relieved when he moved away from her. He settled himself in a green armchair in front of her.

"The beginning of it all," Malfoy said dramatically. "Potter and his trusty sidekick Weasley's amazing adventures!"

Hermione ignored him, moving on to schedule her lessons for the second years.

"What I don't get though," she heard Malfoy continue. Hermione internally groaned and knew that this was only going to end in another argument. "is why you, the so-called cleverest witch of our age, always needs Potter to rescue you."

That caught her attention. She gave him a scathing look.

"I do not need Harry to rescue me," she said icily. "We help each other." She did not need Malfoy assuming incorrectly the nature of her and Harry's relationship. "And if I'm not mistaken you needed _Potter_ to save your arse as well…"

Malfoy sneered at her. He opened his mouth to say something, but closed it.

"Damn, Potter," he grumbled more to himself than anyone else. "I bet he's soaking up all this hero worship—"

"Malfoy!" Hermione snapped at him. "Can you honestly not hate Harry for at least five minutes?" She could not understand how the man sitting in front of her could still hate Harry after all he'd done to help him and his family. He _owed_ Harry.

"No, I don't think I can," he said sitting up in his chair.

Hermione threw down her quill and shut her potions book forcefully.

"What is wrong with you?" Hermione asked, raising her voice.

Malfoy looked at her with contempt.

"No, I _know_ what's wrong with you!" she said before he could respond, feeling angrier than she knew she should.

"Oh, really, Granger?"

"You're ridiculous! You constantly put Harry down because you are jealous of him! I do not understand why you can't just accept the fact you are not Harry Potter and be ok with who you are!"

Malfoy was standing now, his eyes flashing.

"I'm pretty alright with the fact I'm not Potter!"

"I don't think you are!" Hermione shouted, standing up herself. "Ever since first year you've put him down. You've tried desperately to one up him and you've always failed. You just drip insecurity!"

"What? Are you bloody analyzing me now?" He said trying to put an impassive look on his face and failing. He was furious.

"Yes! I'm analyzing you!" Hermione said taking a step toward him. "You're smart! You're the second in our year! You're good at Quidditch! Who bloody cares if you've never beaten Harry? You've beaten all the other teams! And you're attractive! This whole mess you've gotten yourself into with the rest of the school is your fault because you have to be a smug bastard to anyone who is more successful than you!"

Malfoy gapped at her. What in Merlin's name? He was bordering on anger and amusement of the fact she had just showered him with compliments… and then called him a bastard.

"Have you lost it, Granger?" he asked her incredulously.

"No! I've found it. You cannot be happy with yourself no matter what! You were also so bloody arrogant and then sixth year you were sucked into this situation that you couldn't handle!"

Malfoy growled and started to speak but was cut off when his goggles slipped and fell in his face. He growled again and ripped them off, throwing them to the floor.

"Is this what you and your pathetic friends do with your spare time? Sit around and pick apart the inner workings of Draco Malfoy?" he half sneered half shouted.

Hermione scoffed. "Please, Malfoy. It doesn't take much to realize how unhappy you are. You were completely screwed over—"

Hermione stopped speaking, breathing heavily as she watched a myriad of emotions cross her fellow Head's face and finally settle on simply disgruntled.

He fell back into his chair and rested the side of his head on his fist, leaning against the arm of the chair, unspeaking.

Hermione watched him, perplexed. What was he doing now? He was not even looking at her. Just staring angrily at nothing. Was he pouting?

"Malfoy?" she asked trying to keep the irritation out of her voice.

He ignored her, continuing to glare at the invisible cause of his frustration. Hermione felt a little guilty that he had gone from happy to depressed in a matter of minutes after talking to her. It was his own fault, really. He had wanted an argument in the first place.

But it looked like she had hit a nerve… he really was unhappy.

"Malfoy?" she asked more quietly. His eyes darted to her angrily for a second before looking away again. He didn't even want to insult her. Hermione was unnerved.

She sat back down, unsure of what to do, and tried to continue planning out her schedule, but his moody state continued as she worked. He got up and moved to a table, starting his own work. Every few moments Hermione would steal a glance at him and see him moving his quill across parchment a little too aggressively.

She was beginning to miss the old blunt and abusive Malfoy over this new sullen and moody Malfoy. What was wrong with her? She had just insulted the way he behaved and now she preferred it?

After a half hour of the same sort of behaviour, Hermione sighed and stood up. She walked over to his table and stood in front of him, her arms crossed. He had taken off his Quidditch gloves and they rested close by beside his homework.

"Well?" she asked impatiently.

Malfoy merely looked up at her curiously. Hermione scowled.

"Aren't you—?" Hermione groaned. "Malfoy! You're freaking me out! Would you please just antagonize me or something?"

He looked at her in surprise and she saw a smirk creep across his face. Hermione felt both infuriated and relieved.

"Now this is curious," he began, standing. Hermione kept her arms crossed as he stood in front of her. "You tell me I want to be Potter, tell me I'm a smug bastard, and now you're upset I'm not acting like me."

Hermione noted he stilled smelled like he had before… sort of spicy.

"Yes, well…" she said not sure of how to explain herself. "I didn't want you sulking…"

"Gryffindor conscience getting to you?" he sneered.

She rolled her eyes and turned to move away. She felt his hand on her shoulder and was surprised that he had willingly touched her. He spun her around.

"Where are you going?" he asked her mockingly. "I thought this was what you wanted."

Draco was not about to let her get away with her earlier speech so easily.

Hermione glared at him. He made it sound like she was coming on to him.

"You know, Granger, you've surprised me," he said studying her face. "Who would have thought the bookworm enjoyed reading smut and liked Slytherins talking down to her. That's sort of kinky."

Hermione turned bright red.

"That's _not_ what I meant—"

Malfoy was laughing. She snarled at him and pulled out of his grip.

"And you jerk!" she shouted remembering something else. "You told Zabini about your ridiculous 'Little Fish' joke!"

That made Malfoy laugh even harder. Before she knew what she was doing, Hermione grabbed the front of his Quidditch sweater and forced him back into his chair, taking him by surprise.

"I don't care if you bully me if it makes you feel better," she yelled in his face, practically straddling him. "But do not mess with Ron!"

It took Draco a few moments to regain his composure. He realized that if she had not been threatening him he would not have minded having her on top of him.

"My God," he said looking at the hand that was gripping his sweater. "You _would_ be kinky!"

She made a frustrated noise and moved off him, stalking off to collect her things.

"And _I'm_ getting the bathroom first tonight!" he heard her shout as she marched to her room and slammed the door.

Draco grinned as he quickly dashed for the bathroom. She _had_ requested he antagonize her after all.

* * *

Author's notes:

The book Draco was reading from was _Bedazzled_ by Beatrice Small. One of my mum's books.

My nerds (aka my friends) love romance novels. XD They're always swapping them and I'm like "eeww nooo" because they're too mushy for me. I'll stick to hp smut thank you.

So if the brightest of my class reads romance novels, hell, why wouldn't Hermione?


	4. Complicating Plays

Quidditch

Chapter Four: **_Complicating Plays_**

Hermione yawned and stretched. It had been a couple weeks since her shout out with Malfoy. Malfoy had not taken it upon himself to be the bigger person and was doing exactly what Hermione requested… he mocked her, she snapped at him, they repeated.

In past years even the cool headed Hermione would have gotten fed up with Malfoy by now, but this year Hermione felt like they had a mutual understanding. Hermione knew Malfoy needed an outlet and Draco knew that Hermione could deal with him. They in no way liked each other any more than before. They were more or less giving each other permission to bicker and fight without consequences.

Hermione lifted herself from her warm bed and padded to the bathroom. She had finally resolved to shower in the morning. She was tired of their mini duels in the evenings… they were no doubt against school rules.

She entered and shivered as her feet hit the cold tile floor. She slipped her hair up into a bun and moved to turn the shower on. As she approached the glass door she noticed that the door that led to Malfoy's room was cracked open. She moved to close and lock it so as to avoid any embarrassing encounters with her Slytherin friend. As she reached the door, however, she heard a strange noise coming from the other side of the door. Worried Malfoy may be sick, she peeked into the crack.

She had a good view of Malfoy's bed from where she was. It was as big as her own but covered in silky green sheets and framed with darker wood. Hermione shifted her head in order to see better. She almost gasped as her face coloured and she realized what the noise had been.

Malfoy was in nothing but green boxers, but that wasn't what had startled Hermione… she had seen him shirtless before since that was usually how he slept. It was what Malfoy was _doing _that startled Hermione.

Hermione pulled away sharply at what she had seen. There was Malfoy breathing heavily as he stroked himself slowly on his bed.

Hermione stood back from the door and contemplated what to do. She could close his door but he could notice and know she had seen him. She could just forget the whole thing and walk out but then either return later and be late for class or go the day without a shower. She didn't like any of these options. She could shower without closing his door so he would just figure that she had not noticed it had been open. That ran the risk of him barging in, but he would no doubt hear the shower running and know the bathroom was occupied. She could hear it from her room.

But Hermione's curiosity brought her eyes to the small opening in the door again. He seemed completely oblivious to anything else. He probably wouldn't even notice if she closed his door. Hermione placed her hand on the doorknob but froze. Malfoy had let out a low moan. Hermione felt an involuntary tingle run through her body.

She watched him as his breathing increased along with the speed of his hand. She watched his chest rise and fall. She of course had _noticed_ how fit his body was before, but she had not really _considered_ it. Her eyes studied his toned arms and shoulders before becoming distracted by a more protruding body part that was receiving far more attention from the Slytherin. His eyes were clenched as he gripped himself firmly and ran his hand up his length and down again. She noticed he rocked his hips slightly as he stroked himself. He let out another noise and she had to bite her lip to keep from moaning herself. As embarrassed as she was to be watching him, it was the most erotic thing she had ever seen. She concluded that she would need a very long shower after this.

She saw his body tense and knew he was near his climax. His hand picked up speed and she felt her panties grow wet as he flushed. She saw him whisper something in the heat of the moment. She leaned foreword a bit more to try and read his lips or hear what he was saying. His lips moved again and she once again jerked back from the door in shock. She stood in the middle of the bathroom, all previous plans forgotten. She heard a muffled cry and knew she had missed his climax. She caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror and saw that she was flushed as well and her nipples were showing proof of her arousal through her red tank top, despite the shock he had given her.

Hermione heard the bed sheets in the other room rustle and panicked. He was heading towards the bathroom. Before she could think, she rushed to the shower and turned it on high, jumping in with her clothes on and slamming the foggy glass door shut. She shivered in the cold water, hoping Malfoy would get the hint and not come in.

Draco heard the shower turn on and sighed. So she was hogging the shower in the mornings now? He could probably use one after his recent activities but he was already running late…

Deciding what he was going to do was probably a bad idea but choosing to do it anyway, he knocked on his side of the bathroom door and popped his head in.

"Granger?" he mused.

Hermione jumped at the name he been whispering only minutes before.

"Y-yes?" she asked, her voice higher than usual.

"I'm late for class so I'm going to come in and use the sink. The shower is foggy anyway so I won't see anything."

Normally Hermione would have just locked the shower door and grudgingly complied, but after what she had seen she felt vulnerable to him.

"Wait! Malfoy—"

"I wasn't asking, Granger," he sneered and she heard him enter. "Get over your pure little self. I have to brush my teeth."

Draco noted that she hadn't been that pure in the fantasy he had just been having as he headed to the sink, avoiding looking at the shower even though all he would see was a very fuzzy outline. He didn't want any more encouragement in his latest pastime. He was already trying whatever he could to get the mudblood out of his brain. Unfortunately she had a knack of creeping up there in the early hours when his brain was the least alert.

Draco shook his head and turned on his faucet, splashing his face with cold water. He really needed to get laid.

Hermione sighed as the water began to change from cold to warm as it heated up. Now she was stuck taking a fully clothed shower with a sexually frustrated Malfoy a few feet away. _And _she wouldn't even get to have that long shower she needed. And it was all said Malfoy's fault.

"Just hurry up, Ma—" Hermione yelped loudly and pressed herself against the back wall of the shower, away from the stream of water. Apparently she had turned on the hot water in her haste and it had just reached scalding.

Draco spun around at her shout and saw a fuzzy form of bright red on the far side of the shower.

"What the bloody hell, Granger?" he asked as he made his way over to the shower and studied her outline through the glass. "Are you wearing clothes?"

He reached out and opened the glass door to see Hermione fully dressed in a red tank and shorts and trying to shield herself from the hot water.

Draco reached in and turned the water off quickly. He gapped at her as she relaxed, her skin a bright pink from the burning water. It certainly did not help his fantasies that she was obviously not wearing a bra. He forced his eyes upward to her normally bushy hair that was now flat around her cheeks and dripping.

"You shower with clothes on?" he asked incredulously. "That is beyond prudish. Even for you."

Hermione straightened herself up and glared at him, breathing heavily.

"This is YOUR fault!" she shouted and pushed him out of the way as she sprinted out of the bathroom.

He watched her go with confusion.

"What in Merlin's name…"

"You should always make sure your door is closed tight, love."

Draco jumped and spun around for the source of these words.

"Seen it 'appen a million times before. You ought to be more careful."

Draco looked at the mirror and realized it was enchanted.

"Why haven't you spoken before?" he demanded.

"Better to watch and listen," the mirror replied. "Besides, you always got to the girl's 'air before I got a chance, didn't you?"

Draco smirked. Seemed like this mirror had a cruel streak.

"What do you mean I should make sure my door is closed tight," he questioned curiously. Did it mean what he thought it did?

"Oh, love. An attractive lad like you… you should know better than to think she could 'elp 'erself."

Draco felt turned on and horrified at the same time. He didn't care she had seen him wank. He was sure she had enjoyed the show, but what if she had heard what he had uttered towards the end? Could that be why she was so flustered? And he couldn't believe he needed another wank before class now. He growled and made his way towards the door that lead to Granger's room. He needed to find out what she had heard or make her forget she had heard it.

He opened it to find her rubbing her hair furiously with a towel.

"You know, that's not going to help the usual state of your hair…"

Hermione glared at him and threw down the towel.

"Is that all you can do, Malfoy? Insult my hair?"

"You're in no position to be angry with _me_. _I'm_ not the one spying on people…"

Hermione glared up at him, her cheeks turning as red as her shirt.

"How did you—"

"I just know," he said smirking at her. He did not want to reveal the mirror was enchanted just yet… he may be able to use it to his advantage in the future.

Hermione wasn't sure what to say. It was true she had been invading his privacy. But…

"It's you're fault for not closing your damn door," she hissed. "Actually, it's Pansy's fault because if she were still around you wouldn't be hulled up in your room doing… that," she ended lamely.

Draco raised an eyebrow.

"Really, Granger? Isn't it very unGryffindor like to make up excuses? Especially ones as lame as… that," he ended mocking her. "I know Weasley is unsatisfying but you really should find other ways to deal with your own sexual frustration instead of observing mine."

Hermione was furious. She had _told _him to leave Ron out of his stupid insults. She clenched her fists and stalked over to him.

"You're just being a bastard to convince me that you hate me to cover up some surreal pathetic crush you've developed on me!" she shouted pointing in his face.

Draco coloured. So she had heard it. Damn. Draco racked his brain desperately for an insult or excuse to throw back at her.

"Get _over_ yourself, Granger," he sneered. "You dress like a slag every morning and expect me to ignore it? I don't actually_ like _you."

Hermione's eyes flashed and she slapped him for calling her a slag.

Draco took a step back from the force. He grabbed her wrist as she retracted it. She had broken their unspoken contract to just deal with the insults they threw at one another.

He pulled her to him and he could see the panic that flashed through her eyes.

"Never," he growled dangerously making sure her dark brown eyes locked with his gray ones. "Never tell anyone what you heard."

Hermione didn't struggle against him. She only stared into his eyes, trying to read what he was feeling.

"The war may have ended for you," he snarled. "But it hasn't for me."

Draco closed his eyes momentarily, vaguely aware that this wasn't the moment to notice the feel of her breasts pressed up against his chest through her wet shirt. He let go of her quickly, discovering the situation to be more dangerous than he thought.

Hermione stared at him in amazement. What could he mean by that? The war had ended for everyone. Voldemort was gone, his parents were safe, he was back at Hogwarts. What more did he want?

"Listen," she began.

He scoffed and turned away from her, marching through the bathroom and back to his room, slamming the door behind him.

Hermione frowned. Draco Malfoy was not in a very good state at all.

* * *

Hermione and Ron made their way to the Gryffindor Tower after Hermione had wrapped up her class with the first years. They really were a bright group. She was pleased to see that things were going the way McGonagall had hoped. At least in Charms they were. She assumed Potions classes were going well because every time she returned to the Heads' suite, there Malfoy was working away. She had noticed that he never spent much time down in the Slytherin common room. Maybe she just never noticed when he did, but he was usually there sitting in his usual green chair whenever she entered. The only time she could get the common room to herself was when he had Quidditch.

She had not realized that Malfoy was friendless. That might explain his outburst the day before.

_The war may have ended for you, but it hasn't for me._

Those words hand rung in Hermione's head for the past two days. She was hoping Ron could distract her. They reached the common room but before Hermione could give the password she felt Ron tug her arm and lead her to a nearby abandoned classroom.

It seemed like he wanted to distract her as well.

They entered and he began kissing her softly. Hermione's eyes fluttered shut as they usually did when he kissed her. He led her to a desk and lifted her onto it before continuing to kiss her sweetly.

They continued in this manner for a while before Ron pulled away looked at her nervously.

"What is it?" Hermione asked softly.

Ron gave her a serious look and Hermione shifted on the desk uncomfortably. "Ron?"

"Hermione," he began, his face still full of apprehension. "You know I love you."

Hermione looked at him curiously and nodded. She hoped this wasn't going to be one of those "I love you, let's have sex" talks.

"I love you too, Ron," she assured him. Of course they knew they loved each other. If that had not been obvious since the final battle she did not know what was.

Ron calmed a bit before continuing.

"And I know right now I don't have much to give you, but I want to give you everything you deserve," he looked at her in earnest.

Hermione shifted again on the desk. Why was he being so intense?

"Love is…" Ron paused. He obviously was not used to being sentimental or profound. "Love is giving a part of yourself to another person so they can become whole. And I want us to do that for each other," he said holding her hands.

"Ron, I'm not having s—"

"No!" Ron said hurriedly. "That's not what I was asking. I know you're not ready. It's ok."

"Then what are you—"

"What I mean is, Hermione, that even though I won't be able to give you much right now, I will someday. After Hogwarts Harry and I will most likely get jobs in the Auror Department and soon after that I'll be able to take care of you."

"You'll take care of me…" Hermione repeated lamely.

"Yes, I will," he said nodding. "Hermione, I love you so much and I can't imagine marrying anyone else. I want you to know that my entire life is yours. You're so perfect and beautiful and…"

Hermione sat in stunned silence. Why was she so surprised of what he was asking her? Why was she so shocked to hear him admit he wanted to give his life to her? She knew this already. They knew they wanted to spend their lives together. She had imagined him saying these very words to her hundreds of times.

She just had not thought they would sound so overdramatic, so intense, and so… final. She knew what she was supposed to say. She had rehearsed this in her head. She was supposed to tell him she loved him and that she would love to spend the rest of her life with him. She was supposed to laugh and make some witty comment about how they had always thought they hated each other. She was supposed to kiss him.

"Ron…" she heard herself saying. It was like an echo. She felt like the voice was not coming from herself. "Ron, you know that I have plans for myself right? That I have plans for my own future?"

Ron's grip on her hands loosened.

"Well, of course I do, Hermione."

"And you do know we are incredibly young. You know that we'll be working towards our careers and that even a year from now we can be incredibly different people."

"What do you mean?" he asked, narrowing his eyes.

"Ron, listen," Hermione said. Her voice was beginning to shake. "I'm not saying I don't love you or that I've never envisioned myself married to you. I have, but I can't promise my life to you right now. I'm too young. _We're_ too young."

Ron dropped her hands.

"What do you mean you can't promise your life to me? We've been best friends for years! We know each other, we know we love each other!"

"Ron!" Hermione said, standing. She regretted the act immediately because without the height of the desk she was quite shorter than him. "Think of what you're asking! This isn't something to ask of a person who has not even completed their basic education!"

"But it is something to ask of a person who fought a war with you! Or have you forgotten about that?"

"No. No, Ron, of course I haven't forgotten. Please, just, I don't want anything too serious right now."

Ron stared at her for a few moments, breathing heavily.

"Fine," he said curtly. "Nothing serious for you."

And he turned on his heel and began to walk away.

"Ron!" Hermione called after him. "Don't!"

He ignored her and exited the classroom, slamming the door behind him.

Hermione gapped at the door he had just exited through. What had just happened? Had they broken up? Did he just need time? Did he think she didn't want to be with him anymore?

Hermione felt dizzy. She found herself walking back to the Heads' suite numbly, not even paying attention when she walked right past a group of fifth years holding a suspicious looking, writhing bag.

She heard herself mutter the password and crawled into the hole in the wall. Thank Merlin Malfoy had Quidditch practice that evening.

* * *

"Watch where you're going, mate!"

Draco swerved and narrowly missed a beater coming his way, chasing a rouge bludger. He scowled. Wasn't it a beaters job to make sure they stayed out of _his _way?

Draco gave the beater a nasty look and returned his attention to the skies. Now where could that snitch be? He wondered how long they had been practicing so far. The sun had set and there were only small streaks of pink along the horizon. He imagined it should be time to turn in soon. Not that he was complaining. There wasn't much for him to return to in the castle. He would be perfectly content staying out here chasing snitches all night.

He certainly did not want to return to his common room and have to deal with an awkward Granger. Really, didn't she understand that that's what boys do?

Draco sighed. It was getting too dark to really see anything. He had caught the snitch once already since his team had been out here. He would just have to wait until next practice to catch it again. He turned his broom, enjoying the swooping sensation he got every time he flew.

And he saw it. The snitch was just barely glittering and fluttering by the goal posts farthest from him. He leaned into his broom and took off toward it, hoping it wouldn't change its mind and zoom off elsewhere. As he neared it he reached out his gloved hand and waited for the welcome feeling of soft wings against his fingers. But it didn't come.

At the last moment a blur of green had cut across him forcing him to swerve and roll in the air.

He swore loudly as he righted himself in midair and looked around for the source of his failure. He turned toward the goal posts to see a small grinning boy with a golden snitch in his hand.

"What the fuck was that?" he swore at his third year teammate, feeling that bloody was far too tame a curse for the situation.

The third year, _Prowse_, Malfoy believed his name was, grinned sheepishly and flew to the ground, joining the rest of the team. Draco took off after him and landed forcefully on the ground. The rest of the team was crowding around Prowse, patting him on the back.

"Care to explain why you thought you could touch my damn snitch?" Draco snarled at the boy as soon as he was near enough. The team parted so that the two boys could face each other.

"Oh," Prowse said grinning. "I didn't know this was _your_ snitch."

Draco glared at him.

"I'm the seeker! Of course it's _my_ snitch, you little prat!"

Prowse looked at the snitch in his hands and then back up at Draco.

"Well, some of us were thinking," he said looking around at the Slytherin team. "You've been the seeker since your second year right?"

"What of it?" Draco interrupted maliciously. His fists were clenched at his sides now, his Nimbus 2001 held firmly in his left hand.

"We thought that maybe it was time for a change."

Draco blinked at him. There was no way this third year was usurping him. He looked up at the rest of his teammates and realized that he was not very well acquainted with many of them. Any of them really. Most of them were in grades lower than he and probably talked to each other outside of practice. They were giving him looks of apprehension like they were afraid to agree with Prowse but were equally too afraid to want Draco to stay on the team.

Draco gripped his broomstick harder.

"I'm not resigning from the team," he growled.

"We're not asking you to resign," Prowse said, raising his eyebrows. "We just think we can have two seekers. You know, we'll see how things go at practice and then the team will decide who plays for the game."

Draco was shaking slightly in his anger. He wasn't the captain so he could not refute what the little twerp was saying. He turned to a seventh year chaser who had been appointed captain this year.

The seventh year jumped slightly.

"Er- well," he began, avoiding Draco's eyes. "It would be a good idea to have a reserve seeker. You will still be the main seeker, of course, unless your performance during practice indicates otherwise…" he trailed off.

Draco didn't want to hear any more of this. He pushed through his teammates and started heading back toward the castle. He could not believe he had just been owned by a third year. Ultimate fail.

He stormed into the castle in a fouler mood than he could remember being in all year. He would take an awkward Granger over a group of backstabbers any day. Draco knew there was no feasible reason why his team would suddenly want another seeker. He had been performing fine this year. Better than last year no doubt because who could play well under last year's circumstances? Draco reached the Hogwarts crest and banged his head against the wall.

They just didn't want to be associated with him. Fucking opportunists.

He never thought he'd be thinking that about his fellow Slytherins…

Draco entered the common room glumly hoping Granger was not there. Even bothering her wouldn't help him at the moment.

To his disappointment she was. Draco paused just inside the crest and watched her. Something was off. She was slumped in an armchair staring blankly at a fireplace that wasn't even lit. And it was cold.

He walked towards her where the fireplace was and lit it with his wand. Hermione jumped and looked up at him. But her gaze went right through him as though she had not really seen him.

Draco squinted his eyes at her.

"Have you taken something, Granger?" he asked skeptically.

She jumped again as though his voice had finally alerted her to his presence. She stood so abruptly that Draco took a few steps back.

"No, no I'm fine. Haven't taken anything…" Her voice squeaked.

Draco gave her another incredulous look before shrugging and falling into an armchair near the one she had been in moments before.

"Looks like neither of us have had a good day," he said leaning back in his chair.

Hermione shook her head to clear it of all the muddled thoughts that had been running through it. She looked down at him lying in his chair. He looked exhausted. She wondered what had happened today to make this day worse than the others.

Wanting to focus on something other than her fight with Ron, Hermione decided to focus on Draco.

"What happened?"

Draco looked at her in surprise. Showing concern for each other's problems was certainly not part of their unspoken agreement. He debated whether or not to just ignore her. He sighed. He may as well see what kind of advice the top of the class had to give him.

"They—" he paused and rubbed his temples, clenching his eyes. "They want to replace me as seeker."

"What?" Hermione asked in shock.

"You heard me, Granger," Draco said harshly. "They want to replace me with some little third year twit."

"Oh," Hermione said weakly as she tried to formulate a valid reason for replacing Malfoy. "Well, perhaps it's because he's smaller. Seekers are usually on the short side and you're not so short anymore…"

Draco snorted.

"It's not because I'm too damn tall!"

Hermione frowned and tried to reformulate a better reason.

"It's very likely that they want to break in a new seeker for next year. I mean seven years is a long time to be seeker and since we have an extra year it seems fair—"

"It's not because I'm a bloody eighth year!" Draco said jumping to his feet.

Hermione cringed. She knew he wasn't really angry with her but she had had a bad day as well…

"You're so fucking naïve," he sneered at her, towering over her. "They want me off the team because my dear father no longer pulls any weight around the wizarding world. All I am to them is a reminder that Slytherin is associated with Death Eaters!"

Hermione had managed to not cry yet today but she felt tears begin to prickle her eyes. She didn't know whether it was out of pity for him or for herself. Probably a mix of both.

Draco noticed the wetness building in her eyes. He suddenly felt extremely guilty but that only infuriated him more.

"Malfoy," she said shaking her head, trying to turn things back around. "We don't think you're a Death Eater."

"Don't give me that," he snarled. He clenched his gloved fists. "You think I don't notice when people move away from me in the halls? Or the looks first years give me?"

"Malfoy, please, it's not—"

"Not what? Not what it looks like? Because of course when people shirk away from me it's out of admiration instead of fear isn't it? And what do you have to cry about?" he snapped. "What does Potter's Princess have to be sad about?"

Hermione did not respond but bit her lip and tried to force the tears back into her eyes. Why did he have to turn this around on her?

"Nothing," Draco answered harshly for her. "You've won. You've won and now your entire life is set. You'll marry Weasley and you'll spawn little redheads and live happily in a lovely shack. Only..."

Tears rolled down Hermione's cheeks as he spoke. Why did everyone get the impression that she would live happily ever after having Ron's babies? Or was this just a pureblood thing?

"...Only," Draco continued his rant, "you won't live in a shack because obviously you'll be racking in money after getting hired as some buggering Ministry something or other…"

Hermione looked at him, surprised. So it wasn't a pureblood thing. He thought it was obvious she would be successful. Hermione was overwhelmed with a sense of appreciation.

"…With a stick up your arse thinking you're above— What are you doing—?"

Draco couldn't finish his sentence because Hermione had placed her hands on either side of his face and had lifted herself up to meet his lips. She felt Draco jump slightly in surprise but he did not pull away. She had meant for the kiss to be just a brief show of her appreciation but her curiosity had gotten the better of her when Draco had not pulled away immediately. Instead she found herself brushing her lips against his and pondering how much warmer they were than what she had expected.

The last thing Draco had expected was for the mudblood to throw herself at him. One minute he had been taking his frustration out on her and the next he had a pair of full lips covering his. His first reaction should have been to push her away. But instead he froze and allowed her to kiss him gently.

They stood like that for several moments before Hermione pulled away slowly, dropping her hands from his face. The weight of what she had done sunk into her stomach as she watched him nervously. His gray eyes were hooded as he looked down at her. Apparently he was stilled dazed from what she had done.

"Oh, Malfoy, I'm—" she stuttered. "I'm sorry. I don't know…" her voice faltered as she waited for him to react. She began to move back.

He reached out and wrapped his fingers around her wrist.

"I'm beginning to think you get turned on by verbal abuse," he said still looking at her with those heavy eyes.

Hermione narrowed her eyes at him. "I don't! It's just—"

"That was alright," he said ignoring her. "But it wasn't really my kind of kiss."

He pulled her to him and before Hermione could react he closed the space between their lips and kissed her with much more intensity than the previous kiss they had shared.

Hermione's head spun and she forgot who she was kissing as she felt his lips move across hers roughly. She had no memory of ever being kissed like this by Ron.

Ron…

Hermione gasped as she realized the severity of what she was doing. Draco took advantage of her parted lips and darted his tongue into her mouth. He had wrapped one arm around her waist, pulling their bodies closer together. Hermione tried to make a noise showing her disproval but it turned into a moan halfway through when he used his other hand to caress the back of her neck. She heard Draco groan in response and found herself wrapping her arms around his neck.

Feeling encouraged, Draco pushed her back onto a nearby couch and began kissing her neck slowly. His hand had abandoned the back of her neck and was working with the other one to untuck her shirt.

"Draco," he heard Hermione breathe. He bit her neck gently as he succeeded in freeing her shirt from her plaid skirt. His rough gloves brushed against her skin.

"Draco, stop."

It took a few moments for the words to register in his brain. Draco pulled away from her neck reluctantly and looked at her flushed state. He cursed himself silently as the blood began to return to his brain. He hadn't meant to get carried away…

He realized he was gripping her side a bit too tightly and loosened his hold, moving off of her quickly.

Hermione regained her breath and stood along with him. They stared at each other for a few moments, neither knowing what to say to the other. Being the courageous Gryffindor she was, Hermione opted to speak first.

"Draco…"

"I thought we agreed you wouldn't call me that," he snapped at her, placing his usual sneer back on his face.

Hermione's expression darkened.

"I think we're a bit past that, don't you?"

She noticed he smelled like he had the last time he neared her after Quidditch practice. What did these people do? Practice in a scented candle shop?

"We're not past anything," he said taking a threatening stance again. "Don't forget who we are, mudblood," he said more forcefully than he had meant to.

Hermione was having trouble breathing.

"Well," she said, tears returning to her eyes. "I'm sorry to see you can't get over your old prejudice, _Malfoy_."

"Why?" he asked narrowing his steely eyes. "You don't need two purebloods do you? You still have the Weasel."

Hermione covered her face with her hands and spun away from him quickly, darting back to her room and locking herself in. She didn't know how she would mend her and Ron's already broken relationship after this…


End file.
